


got the world on our shoulders (let's move it to our hands)

by blue_roses



Series: Klance Week 2016 [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Klance Week 2016, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 11:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7682488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_roses/pseuds/blue_roses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hi Keith,” the name comes out smoother than you expect, “I'm Lance, Avatar’s just my full time job.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	got the world on our shoulders (let's move it to our hands)

**Author's Note:**

> when ur so dedicated to klance u write and publish a fic in the car on ur phone (please enjoy!!)

  Though the value of water is in your blood, your family, your home, the first element you’re shown is fire. The Southern Tribe is always on ice, even in the summer, and you're shown how to make fire before you can properly bend water. Before there's blood, there's tribe, so it isn't a surprise when an elder who's passed onto the constellations shows you how. You're fascinated, even though everyone says you can't stay focused enough to waterbend properly, you stare at fire as if it's in your grasp.   
  Three days after you make fire with flint and wood, you make it with your hands, burning down your sister’s brand new coat. No one knows whether to teach you what it means to be an Avatar through intensive bending lessons or punish you for burning the coat. They use the former to do the latter, and you love it all the same.  
  Your mother is the first to warn you, as she usually is. You're helping her cut meat for dinner, a long needed break from bending practice. She looks you in the eye, sighs, and says, “Lance, be careful with fire. The only way to truly embrace it is to get burned, and I fear for the day that comes.”  
  You say you'd be careful, for all your impulses you're known to be clever. So you learn and train and you're a master in disguise by the time you're thirteen. Maybe you should have read between the lines, or memorized the words, then when you saw him you'd know. But you don't, so when you're sixteen you meant a boy with fire in his eyes and don't know what's about to hit you.  
  After it all unfolds, you learn his name is Keith. But before you know a thing about him, you see he's red in every sense of the word. An almost red sunset focuses its energy on him, he wears Fire Nation red in the middle of Ba Sing Se despite the latest tensions. He purchases red apples, doesn't seem to notice the nervous red flush on the seller’s face. You don't realize you're staring until he looks back.  
 _Red,_ your mind repeats, as if it needs emphasis. You blink once, he's still looking, but then so are you. You'll blame him for it when the officers come, even though you know it's on you for starting it. And being the Avatar, which means people always want a piece of you.  
  However, you feel no guilt in blaming him when he sets helmets and tents ablaze, takes your arm and bolts to a random direction. You're pretty sure you scream, and he yells even louder, which makes you louder in turn.     You have no idea how you manage to get them off your trail, but you're both breathing heavily at that point. You can see the warm sparks of orange and red flutter across his palm.   
 “So,” you ask, “what the _hell_ was that?” You take an extra breath to show you're tired and avoid thanking him. You don't know what he wants yet, even though you want to trust him more than you'd admit. Your mother would smack you sideways if she saw your train of thought.  
 “Well, I just saved your life,” and his own. You want to know his game, but you also want to look at him more. Maybe judge the fact that he has a mullet.  
 “Yeah I know that, but _why?_ ” You expect a grand explanation, or somehow he knew you were the Avatar during that stare fest. But your fire is too controlled, you never quite want to let it loose. Plus you didn't use it, he ran off with you before you even thought of a strategy.  
  His eyes widen: eyebrows raised, looking puzzled that you even asked, “Because you were in trouble?” You look up at him to see if he's lying, and by the spirits you hope he isn't. You're a victim of self control and poor judgment working in tandem against you, so you look into his eyes for a sign.  
His eyes are gray, but you see the fire under them right away. He makes no effort to hide it, unlike you. You've been told you've got ice in your heart and under your gaze if you look deep enough, and maybe you hide it. Maybe that's why you're amazed by him, why you let a small spark escape you to match his. You can hear his small gasp, the fact he tries to hide it is completely unnecessary.  
 “I thought you were a waterbender,” he says, “saw it in your eyes. They're blue.” You know your eyes aren't blue, not really, you wonder if he sees your blue the way you see his red.  
 “I am,” you blurt, because you don't think you're going to be able to hide from him.  
 “Oh,” he says, “ _oh._ Hi Avatar, my name is Keith.” You almost laugh, then you do laugh because what kind of intense, powerful firebender has the name _Keith?_  
 “Hi Keith,” the name comes out smoother than you expect, “I'm Lance, Avatar’s just my full time job.”  
  He extends his hand, and you take it without the hesitation you were taught. Here's what you know about Keith: he's impulsive, relies on instinct, and he's got red in his blood and being. Your mother’s voice tells you you're going to get burned, and you're not a fan of pain. But you're a waterbender first, you're sure you can pick yourself back up again. You see the sun of Ba Sing Se, and the red continues to follow him. If the sun trusts him, you know you can too.  



End file.
